Miesha Tate: Rematch With Ronda Rousey Looms After Win Over Liz Carmounche
Miesha Tate could have another date with Ronda Rousey in her future.
Tate pounded challenger Liz Carmounche into submission in their bout on Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision to improve her record to 14-5. She controlled much of the match, handling Carmounche on the ground and landing several blows.
The win got Tate back on track after a loss to Rousey in UFC 168, but more importantly it puts her on a track to face off against Rousey once again.
It would be difficult for a rematch to live up to the drama of their last meeting. After Ronda Rousey used her armbar to force Miesha Tate into submission, the fighters had an icy moment at the conclusion. Tate reached out to Rousey for a congratulatory handshake, but Rousey refused and was showered with boos.
The animosity between the fighters is longstanding. They have traded barbs in interviews, and Rousey even said that Tate doesn’t deserve to be in the ring with her.
“Miesha has a nice ass and an ongoing rivalry with me, and that’s the only reason she was picked for this fight,” Rousey said of their UFC 168 bout.
Miesha Tate seems equally disdainful of Rousey.
“Ronda said some things that really got under my skin,” Tate told USA Today Sports. “She plays the mental warfare game. I didn’t want to fight her because I love fighting; I wanted to fight her because I wanted to beat her up.”
Publicly, Miesha Tate has said she wants to steer clear of Rousey for a while. Tate has now suffered two crushing defeats to Rousey, and said she wants to take on other competitors before she turns her attention back.
“I’m happy to close the door on that chapter for now and move forward with my career,” Tate said before the bout with Carmounche. “I think Liz is a great next fight for me to get back in there because she’s ranked in the top 10. I’m very excited.”
But no matter what she prefers, UFC insiders say it is only a matter of time before Miesha Tate has to face Ronda Rousey for their third bout.
